COUNCIL chiefs are on collision course with the Government after refusing to make any more land available in Bolton for housing developments.

Cllr David Wilkinson, executive member for environment and housing, has told planning bosses that Bolton is becoming over developed.

And today he declared that he would not allow further developments on the green belt surrounding the borough.

Cllr Wilkinson has rejected a request from the Government's Planning Inspectorate to make space for an extra 1,200 homes to be built in the borough by 2011.

Town hall bosses believe the move would require the use of the greenbelt land, possibly surrounding Westhoughton.

They feel enough land has been made available which has previously been developed, also known as brownfield land.

Bolton Council's planning committee has already given permission for 1,500 homes to be built across the borough and say there is enough brownfield land -- sites previously developed -- available for another 2,000 houses.

The borough's environment bosses also expect another 800 sites to become available during this period.

Cllr Wilkinson said: "Enough is enough. Bolton is becoming jam-packed with housing particularly in areas such as Westhoughton and we are not going to allocate any more land.

"We are stuck with what we have got."

The inspector has no powers to make the council implement his recommendations.

But Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, could over-rule the council if he decides more housing is needed in the borough.

If that were to happen, it could take up to two years for land to be identified and a public inquiry to be held.

In a report to the committee, group planning officer Andrew Chalmers, said: "To go against the inspector is likely to prove very controversial."

Cllr Wilkinson's recommendations will be put before the council's executive committee in two weeks before they are incorporated into the borough's Unitary Development Plan.

A six week consultation will then be held to allow the public, land owners and developers to comment on the decision.

The Government expects local authorities to create around 470 new homes a year.

Campaigners in the borough have long called for the council to limit the number of new developments.

David Chadwick, from anti-development group Save Westhoughton Act Now (SWAN), said: "There are far too many planning applications and developers seem to have their eye on every available space whether it be brownfield or greenfield land.

"These developments are going on and on and somebody has got to put the brakes on soon."

"It's absolutely crazy. Westhoughton, along with the rest of the borough, is at saturation point and I can see no evidence of it slowing down."

And he added that the increasing number of developments could have worrying implications on Bolton's infrastructure, along with the provision of roads, school and doctors.

Harold Lindsay, a former member of the Civic Trust, added: "Bolton Council has easily exceeded the minimum quota of developments in the last few years.

"There's enough available land on brownfield sites so that greenbelt does not have to be used.

"There are a lot of very large developments planned for Bolton and I am concerned that things are progressing too quickly."